Nicean Class ship

[infobox is based from the Olympic Class Wikipedia page]
Class overview
Builders:	Hewlett & Wolinn, Palaeologus
Operators:	Azur Star Line
Preceded by:	--To be Determined--
Built:	1908–1914
In service:	1910–1952
Planned:	3
Completed:	3
Lost:	2
Retired:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	47,000 GRT - 50,000 GRT
Displacement:	54,520 tons
Length:	883 ft 4 in (269.2 m) overall
Beam:	92 ft 8 in (28.24 m) (Nicean & Ephesian), 94 ft (28.7 m) (Konstantian)
Height:	204 ft (62 m) from keel to top of masts
Draught:	34 ft 9 in (10.59 m)
Depth:	65 ft 2 in (20 m) from keel to side of C-deck
Decks:	10
Installed power:	24 double-ended and 5 single-ended Marine Boilers. Two 4-cylinder Triple expansion steam engines for the two outer propellers. One low-pressure turbine for the central propeller. Together 52,000 HP average, 61,000 maximum.
Propulsion:	Two bronze 3-blade wing propellers. One bronze 4-blade centre propeller for Nicean & Konstantian. One bronze 3-blade centre propeller for Ephesian
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph); 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) max
Capacity:	3,400 passengers, officers, and crew
Crew:	890 crew members

The Nicean-class of ocean liners were a trio of Antienamese ocean liners built by the Hewlett & Wolinn shipyard for the Azur Star Lines during the rise of commercial voyage in the early 20th century. The following trio of vessels were, Nicean (1910), Ephesian (1911), & Konstantian (1914). These trio of ocean liners were described as the largest and the most comfiest luxury liners of the era towards their rivals which were the Nakshatiradravaka "Star Chaser' & Rajanilavelaa "Emerald Coast", dubbed the Greyhounds of the sea. Even despite the luxury, these trio of vessels carried basic comfort and luxury even to the second and third class. These vessels were designed not to compete with the fast greyhounds, but rather the grandeur and comfort for the passengers, and as such they made Azur Star Lines have an advantage over their rival shipping line, which was The Spice Road Lines, or TSR Lines for short, which was a large shipping line from the continent Tengerina.

The Nicean Class of ocean liners were known for their four funneled designs, revolutionary size and being practically unsinkable. Whilst Nicean, the first and leading vessel of the class went on to have a successful 42-year career before retiring as a museum ship. Her other sister ships did not meet similar success, more especially to the second vessel of the class, the Ephesian. Despite the improvements the shipyard made after hearing comments from the Nicean, she rammed and struck an iceberg, and sank on her voyage. And Konstantian which after serving for an ocean liner for many years, was converted to a hospital ship to aid in the internal troubles Solingarch and Valkyriea were having. Subsequently the vessel as lost after accidentally striking a naval mine.

Despite the later two vessels not achieving the same popularity as the Nicean did, the world recognizes the trio of vessels as one of the most famous ocean liners to ever be built and put to sea by Antienam. The ocean liners have inspired countless ships, stories, books and movies including a 1997 Adaptation of the Ephesian Disaster. And a 1999 miniseries of the stories of the Nicean.

Origins and construction

The Nicean class had it's origins through competition. The Azur Star Lines' main competitor TSR Lines, had recently launched two of it's new four funnel vessels, whicher were the Nakshatiradravaka "Star Chaser' in June 1907 and Rajanilavelaa "Emerald Coast", launched 3 months later. Dubbed the greyhounds for their speed, these pair of ocean liners dominated the passenger lines due to their speed and size. However, Azur Star Lines were not too keen in competiting in speed, but rather in size and comfort.

According to stories, it was in one dinner party did the owner of Azur Star Lines Mr Ishmay told the head of the Hwelett & Wolinn shipyard, Lord Peary of designing a grand ocean liner. Half as bigger than the greyhounds of TSR Lines, and surpassing the luxury, grandeur and comfort of both the Star Chaser and Emerald Coast. Mr Ishmay pitched that it should also not be too slow for passengers that it would discourage them from boarding the vessel, but not too fast that it would outright try to compete with the greyhounds. Legend has it that after the dinner party when the two were playing pool (table sport) did Lord Peary conceptualize the initial design of the Nicean Class.

Vastly different from the final design, the sketched up vessel had three funnels, one mast at the front and two masts at the back. A separate superstructure at the stern and differing foredeck structures. But it proved to Mr Ishmay that his idea was not that far off from fiction. And so, by late 1907, planning was scheduled for two vessels, that would be the answer to TSR line's greyhounds. Designed by Mr Anderson and veteran architect Mr Chissoms, the two added an extra funnel, and made sure the design was "pleasing" to the eyes of a passenger. And by early 1908, Mr Ishmay was presented the final design of the Nicean Class.

He questioned the addition of another funnel, thinking the narrative of not trying to compete with the greyhounds was lost, but was reassured that the extra funnel was more of an ornament, to vent out extra smoke from places within the vessel with some form of smoke. And so, the contract was signed, and by December 1908, construction first began on the Nicean and on March 1909 did construction begin on the Ephesian. Before construction began, Mr Peary arranged that three of the slipways present in the shipyard had to be dismantled, and in place would be two massive slipways, dubbed the "Barrol Gantries" after Mr Barrol who had constructed it. The two ships were built side by side, due to this, many curious onlookers were able to see the construction of two, massive ocean liners before them.

The third ship, the Oecumenius now Konstantian was planned to begin construction three months after the launch of the Ephesian. However, construction was halted when port authorities and yard workers heard of the sinking of Ephesian. Only the keel was laid down, construction began again in 1912 and Konstantian was launched in February 1914. And thus, the Barrol Gantries became empty, until the construction of a brand new Ocean Liner.

Specifications and Design

All Nicean Class carried 10 Decks, despite H deck, the deck above the Orlop decks was smaller than the rest.

• Sun/Boat Deck
• A Deck
• B Deck
• C Deck
• D Deck
• E Deck
• F Deck
• G Deck
• H Deck
• Orlop/Tank Decks

Safety Features

The trio of vessels were implemented with the best safety features at the time. Most importantly, as Antienam was a northern country, it is prone to ice, and as such, was constructed with a reinforced bow and a double hull design. The Nicean class was also packed with state of the art watertight bulkheads, which extended from the Orlop Decks to F to D Decks originally. And originally, each Nicean Class ocean liner had 16 watertight bulkheads, with each containing a electric pump to remove any sea water. In a collision with any foreign object, the watertight doors can be activated manually from the bridge, thus sealing each bulkhead. However if theoretically, the bridge was not able to activate the watertight doors, the firemen and officers down below can activate each manually by switching a lever near the bulkhead door. Therefore at the time, this made the Nicean Class, practically unsinkable, and in theory, the vessels can withstand up to four flooded compartments.

The Nicean Class removed the Longitudinal bulkheads which were present in TSL Line's greyhounds, it is thought that with them being in place, the vessel could be in risk of capsizing and as a result, they were removed. The trio of ships were also equipped with triple-brass-chime steam whistles to all four funnels. It is said that the first two were functional, but the last two were ornament to keep the balance in place.

Due to the sinking of the Ephesian it led Hewlett & Wolinn and Azur Star Lines to refitt AMS Nicean and the still under-construction AMS Konstantian. Nicean was temporarily pulled out of service and had to be retrofitted with extra safety features, such as some of the watertight bulkheads extending towards A Deck, truly sealing each compartment. They also retrofitted the electrical pumps to be much closer to each compartment. On the under construction Konstantian, they added two additional bulkheads, and all the changes they did to the Nicean and Ephesian to the Konstantian.

Lifeboats

According to Mr Chissoms, he designed the class to be equipped with 64 lifeboats on the 20 lifeboat stations present on the vessel. However Mr Peary was outraged that it would clutter the decks, so as a result, only 20 lifeboats were equipped, with two inflatable lifeboats on the sides of the first funnel. It was thought that lifeboats were just to ferry passengers from a stricken vessel to a closeby vessel. Despite how low the numbers may seem from today's standpoint, it exceeded the lifeboat capacity given out by the Board of Trade.

After the sinking of the Ephesian, in a flight of panic, the Nicean was equipped with second-hand inflatable lifeboats from a navy ship, to which the firemen mutinied. Due to this, the Nicean was equipped with additional lifeboats to the davits with more inflatable lifeboats which were top of the line. On Konstantian, 8 massive gantry davits were added, and each gantry davit was fitted with a motorboat, with communications. Unlike the davits present on the vessels, the gantry davits could still be pivoted even during a severe list.

Interiors

The trio of vessels possessed a total of 8 levels of passenger accomodation with slight deviations and variations from each sister ship. Although Azur Star Lines and Hewlett & Wolinn made sure that no class accommodation was neglected without basic comfort. The first class received the most luxury out of the other two. The first class had but not limited to; The Grand Staircase, a Verandah Cafe, an Aurelian (in universe for Turkish) bath, a bar (only for the Ephesian), a writing room (available for all classes) and a gym (most features are still the same with the Olympic). The first class enjoyed luxurious cabins with heaters which were equipped with private bathrooms. Each also had a private promenade room. The first class also had a smoking room, and a Cafe Smuulstadt.

The second class also enjoys some of what the first class owns, such as it's own smoking room (now available for Third Class), spacious accomodations, a spacious room for any events, such as dances or theatre (now also available for third class passengers) and rooms for various passengers accomodating their species.

And finally, the third class, their accommodations were as spacious as second, with bunks and a singuar bathroom in each room. At the time, Azur Star Line's third class was far more luxurious than any competitors at the time. The third class also boasts, only for AMS Nicean, an instrument room, where any passenger from all classes can use any musical instruments from across the globe. Permitted they don't break anything.

The trio also feature a state of the art bathrooms inside each room, including the third class. Each vessel also had a swimming pool, unlike the real Olympic, the Nicean Class boasts faux wood paneling on the swimming pools, a far more luxurious take than the early pools of the Olympic. Each class also had dining saloons, and were served famous dishes around the world, even the Third class was served these dishes. Another is that the Nicean Class boasts at the time, having a small library, carrying enough literature from the nation and from a round the globe, accessible to all passenger classes on board.

And finally, the Nicean Class had a church, imbedded near the Grand Staircase, it is reserved for Catholic masses and is available to all passengers, no fees.

Notes

This page is based off the Wikipedia page of the Olympic Class ocean liners. Credits to original authors of the original wikipedia page.